VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
It is a mythical land. The images of its glaciers, icy peaks and deep fjords live in our imaginations. A fabled place, rich with whales and bears and eagles. Alaska is majestic and rugged; the one American place where nature has not yet been corralled. Its wildness still surrounds and dominates people. It's the image of that wildness that draws us to Vancouver, Canada. Our ten-day journey aboard the Royal Odyssey takes us through southeast Alaska, a 500-mile stretch of islands and waterways along the border of British Columbia. We'll visit Ketchikan, Glacier Bay, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. We sail the inside passage, slipping quietly past waterfalls and isolated villages. The scenery promises to become more and more dramatic as we travel north. For now, we await Ketchikan hoping to avoid its legendary rainfall.
Well, guess what? It was raining again this morning in Ketchikan so I've got wet hair. But it's clearing up. Who knows what will happen? You know, when I lived here it always amazed me to see these huge ships dwarf this small little town. Ketchikan thrives on tourism but it's also a center for salmon fishing. The town was founded on the site of an historic Tlingit Indian fishing camp. Creek St. is Ketchikan's best-known and most photographed section. Creek St. has a notorious history; it was, once upon a time, Ketchikan's red light district where, as they said, the men and the salmon came to spawn. The bordellos and saloons of yesteryear have been transformed into boutiques, gift shops and restaurants catering to tourists in the summer months. Our stay in Ketchikan will last six hours, just enough time for us to get into the countryside.
"Off to the left is the Tsongas National Rainforest."
Kevin Corrithers is our guide on Lake Harriet Hunt. "The second largest rain forest in the world with 16 million acres, seconded only by the Amazon Rainforest." Kevin is from Sacramento.
"I love the outdoors so I'm in awe up here. I have no idea what to do with myself. It's great."
The peacefulness of the lake is broken only by the high spirits of fellow travelers and by the sound of our own echoes.
Just south of Ketchikan is the Tlingit village of Saxman. Visitors are welcomed to the village to learn about the history and customs of the Tlingit people. Some of that history is carved in wood.
"Here in Alaska is our culture, and we're trying to piece it together, we're trying to maintain it."
Nathan Jackson is a master carver and a man well worth visiting. "What we have to offer is what people can be able to see. I'm only a small segment in a way with my artwork and my hands and the ability and the talent, which is God-given to me and I'm going to put it to use."
Cruising has its own pace. We quickly learn to pack in as many experiences as possible before the ship calls us back. And while our time ashore is brief, our time on board ship is not wasted. Cruising through southeast Alaska has its own rewards.
